Track sander



March 6, 1934. SELLERS r AL 1,949,977

TRACK SANDER Filed Aug. 8, 1932 ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 6, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT? OFFICE TRACK SANDER Application August 8, 1932, Serial No. 627,868

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in track sanders and it consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a track sander in which all exterior joints are eliminated along with abrupt bends and pockets, thus guarding against leakage which moistens the sand into a condition that promotes packing as well as avoiding the rapid cutting out of the metal of the parts at the bends due to the blasting action of the sand thereagainst when the sander is in operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a 18 sander of this kind which is indeed of a simple character; which can be made at a low cost from stock material available in railroad shops; which is efiicient in operation; which shall have a long period of usefulness and is free from the tendency to leak and be rapidly worn out under the action of the sand in a sanding operation.

The above mentioned objects of the invention, as well as others, together with the many advantages thereof, will more fully appear as we proceed with our specification.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a transverse vertical sectional view through the sand box of a locomotive with our improved sander applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view through the same as taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through the same as taken on the line 33 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a detail vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale of one of the siphonic ejector nozzles employed in our improved track sander.

In general, all of the operative parts of the sander which deliver the sand into the sander pipes are disposed within the sand box. The sander pipes follow about the boiler shell and have relatively straight end parts arranged tangentially to the shell and open through the sand box from opposite sides, near the bottom. To eliminate all possibility of leaks or the entrance of moisture into the sand box, said pipes where they pass through the opposite sides of the sand box are welded therein.

On the inner extremity of the straight end part of each pipe is provided an elbow with one end threaded on the associated pipe end extremity and with the other end extending downwardly toward the shell in substantially a radial plane but terminating short of the boiler shell so as to be capable of taking up sand when motive fluid is discharged through the first mentioned end and axially of the associated sander pipe end. Into the body of each elbow and axially in line with the associated sander pipe, is a nozzle and the nozzles for both pipes have means for connecting them to a source of motive fluid such as compressed air, fed thereto by a pipe passing through one wall of the box on the longitudinal median line of the boiler shell.

In a sanding operation, when air under pressure is fed to the nozzles, a vacuous condition is established in the elbows and this acts to draw sand th reinto which meets the air and mixes therewith as a blast discharged axially into the associated end of the sander pipes leading to the 7 wheels. As there are no bends or traps impinged against by the sand blast as it discharges into the sander pipes, its cutting or abrasive action is eliminated and the life of the sander as a whole is greatly prolonged.

Referring now in detail to that embodiment oi the invention, illustrated in the accompanying drawing: 1 indicates as a whole, a sand box, flanged at its bottom end for attachment in any suitable pressure-tight manner to the shell 2 of a locomotive boiler. The sand box 1 as herein shown is circular and is provided at its top with a centrally disposed filler opening 3 with which is associated a cover (not shown) for tightly closing the same.

l-4 indicates a pair of sander pipes, which are disposed one on each side of the boiler shell with their bottom ends arranged to discharge sand upon the rails adjacent the driving wheels forming a part of the locomotive. The top end 5 of each pipe though straight is arranged tangentially of the shell and each top end is made as a continuation of the curved part 6 of said pipe which follows the shell in curvature. As this curvature is of a substantially large radius, it is apparent that there is no appreciable bend at the connection or junction of the same with said straight top end part.

sThe straight top end part of each sander pipe, opens through a side wall of the sand box near said shell and is welded thereto so as to there make a leak proof, water-tight joint.

The extremity of each sander pipe top end 5 is threaded to receive one end of an elbow fitting I, the other end 8 of which is faced downwardly toward the shell but terminates a short distance from that part of the shell bottoming the sand box.

In the body of each elbow, axially in line with that end threaded onto an associated sander pipe end, is a nipple 9. Each nipple is provided in that end screwed into an associated elbow, with a bushing 10 having a relative fine orifice 11 therein as best shown in Figure 4, while the other end of each nipple has one end of an elbow 12 threaded thereon.

13 indicates a pipe leading from a source of motive fluid under pressure and which is generally compressed air. This pipe is arranged at a right angle to the plane of the sander pipes and is generally located in the median line of the boiler shell and opens through a side wall thereof and is welded therein as best shown in Figure 3. The end of said pipe extends into substantially the plane of the sander pipes and terminates substantially axially of the box to there have a T-fitting 14: threaded thereon. Opposite branches of this T-iitting receive feeder pipes l515 each suitably bent to lead laterally and then upwardly for connection to an associated elbow 12.

When air under pressure is supplied to the nipples 9 from the feeder pipes 15 it passes through the orifice in each bushing 10 and is then discharged into the associated elbow, axially in line with the end 5 of the sander pipes.

This discharge of air into each elbow 7 creates a vacuous condition which siphons or causes a rush of sand into the other end of said elbows to mix with the air discharged into said elbows. This produces a force which discharges sand into and down the sander pipes. The air and sand as they enter the sander pipes take a straight line path and therefore there are no pockets or bends therein to trap the sand or to be impinged by said sand as a blast to be worn away thereby.

It is apparent from Figure 1 that as the pipes enter opposite sides of the sand box near their bottom ends, pockets are formed at opposite sides of the sand box, into which the larger particles of sand and the usual small gravel particles may settle out by reason of their gravitation down the sides of the shell 2 at this point.

All of the parts of our improved sander are parts such as may be found in any railroad shop and therefore need no specially machined parts. Thus the sander may be made at an extremely low material and installation cost.

As the motive fluid is discharged axially into a straight length of the sander pipes, there are no bends, kinks, pockets or traps to be bombarded by sand discharged into said pipe with a resulting abrasive action.

Again, all parts of the sander whereby sand is discharged into said pipes are located within the sand box and are protected thereby and there are no joints, packings or gaskets to wear or jar out of place to cause leaks that admit moisture into said box with the usual objectionable results.

By the term substantially straight sander pipe as used in the claims, we intend to cover a pipe which may or may not have some curvature but to exclude a pipe: having sharp bends or traps therein.

While in describing the invention, we have referred in detail to the form, arrangement and location of certain of the parts constituting the 'invention, the same is to be considered merely as illustrative of one embodiment of the invention only, so that we do not wish to be limited thereto except as may be specifically set forth in the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. In combination with the sand box of a locomotive, a substantially straight sander pipe having a portion terminating within said sand box and a second portion exteriorly thereof which leads to a point of discharge, means providing an inlet opening disposed at an angle to and for admitting sand to the pipe portion within said sand box and means for discharging a motive fluid axially into said portion of the pipe within the sand box for causing a flow of sand through the sander pipe.

2. In combination with the sand box of a locomotive, a substantially straight sander pipe having a portion terminating within said sand box and a second portion exteriorly thereof which leads to a point of discharge, said portion of the sander pipe within the sand dome extending upwardly at an angle to the bottom of the sand box, means providing an inlet opening disposed at an angle to and for admitting sand to said last mentioned portion of the sander pipe and means for discharging a motive fluid axially into said portion of the sander pipe within the sand box for causing a flow of sand through the sander pipe.

3. In combination with the sand box of a locomotive, a substantially straight sander pipe having a portion terminating within said sand box and a second portion exteriorly thereof which leads to a point of discharge, a member secured to the extremity of said sander pipe portion providing an inlet opening disposed at an angle to and for admitting sand to said sander pipe portion and means extending into said member for discharging a motive fluid axially into said extremity for causing a flow of sand through the sander pipe.

4. In combination with the sand box of a locomotive, a substantially straight sander pipe having a portion terminating within said sand box and a second portion exteriorly thereof which leads to a point of discharge, a member having a portion secured to the extremity of said sander pipe portion within the sand box and having a second portion extending downwardly toward the bottom of the sand box and means extending into said member for discharging a motive fluid axially into said sander pipe portion within the sand box for causing a flow of sand through the sander pipe.

5. In combination with the sand box of a locomotive, a substantially straight sander pipe having a portion terminating within said sand box and a second portion exteriorly thereof which leads to a point of discharge, an elbow fitting having one end secured to the extremity of said sander pipe portion within the sand box and having a second end opening downwardly at an angle toward the bottom of said sand box and motive fluid conducting means having an end fixed in said elbow to discharge axially into said sander pipe portion within the sand box to cause a flow of sand through the sander pipe.

6. In combination withthesand box of a locomotive, substantially straight sander pipes each having a portion terminating within but on opposite sides of the sand box and each having a second portion exteriorly of the sand box and leading to a point of discharge, means providing an inlet opening disposed at an angle to and for admitting sand to each pipe portion within the sand box and means for discharging a motive fluid axially into eachpipe portion within the sand box 'for causing a flow'of sand through said sander pipes.

'7. In combination with thesand box of a loco- -motive, substantially straight: sander pipes each having a portion terminating within but on opposite sides of the sand box and each having a second portion exterior-1y of the sand box and leading to a point of discharge, that portion of each sander pipe within the sand box extending upwardly at opposite angles to the bottom of the sand box, means providing an inlet opening disposed at an angle to and for admitting sand to each pipe portion within the sand box and means for discharging a motive fluid axially into each pipe portion within the sand box for causing a flow of sand through said sander pipes.

8. In combination with the sand box of a locomotive, substantially straight sander pipes each havin a portion terminating within but on opposite sides of the sand box and each having a second portion exteriorly of the sand box and leading to a point of discharge, a member fixed at one end to the extremity of each portion of said sander pipes within the sand box and each member having its other end disposed at an angle thereto and facing toward the bottom of the sand box and motive iiuid conducting means opening into the sand box and including branches each secured in an associated member to discharge axially into each sander pipe portion within the sand box for causing a flow or" sand through the sander pipes.

9. In combination with the sand box of a locomotive, substantially straight sander pipes each having a portion terminating within but on opposite sides of the sand box and each having a second portion exteriorly of the sand box and leading to a point of discharge, elbow members each fixed at one end to the extremity of each portion of said sander pipes within the sand box and each elbow member having a second end disposed at an angle to the first mentioned end and facing toward the bottom of the sand box, and motive fluid conducting means having ends each fixed in an associated elbow member and each provided with a bushing having an orifice to discharge axially into an associated sander pipe portion in the sand box for causing a flow of sand through said sander pipes.

18. In combination with the sand box of a locomotive, a sander pipe exteriorly leading to a point of discharge, an inclined substantially straight portion terminating within said sand box provided with an opening for admitting sand to the sander pipe at an angle to the axis of the pipe and with an opening for discharging a motive fluid axially into the sander piper, thereby inducing a flow of sand into the sander pipe and causing the sand to flow through the sander pipe.

11. In combination with the sand box of a locomotive, an inclined substantially straight portion of sander pipe terminating outside of the sand box at a point of discharge, and terminating inside the sand box with the end turned downwardly at a bend for the admission of sand and with an opening in the bend for the admission of a motive fluid axially with the straight portion of the sander pipe for causing a flow or" sand into and through the sander pipe.

12. In combination with the sand box of a locomotive, a sander pipe, one portion terminating at a point of discharge and the other portion being an inclined substantially straight one which terminates inside the sand box, a fitting on the last mentioned portion of said pipe provided with an opening arranged at an angle to the axis of the sander pipe for the admission of sand and provided with an other opening for the admission of a motive fluid axially into the sander pipe for causing a flow of sand into and through the sander pipe.

13. In combination with the sand box of a locomotive, sander .pipes, each terminating within but on opposite sides of the sand box and each provided with a fitting arranged to admit sand into the sander pipe at an angle to the axis of the pipe and provided with an opening to admit the motive iiuid axially into the sander pipe, for causing a flow of sand into and through an inclined straight portion of sander pipe to the points of discharge exteriorly to the sand dome.

14. In combination with the sand box of a locomotive, one or more inclined sander pipes discharging. downward to the point or" discharge at the rails without abrupt bends and terminating inside the sand box in downwardly turned elbows provided with openings to permit the discharge or" a motive fluid axially into the sander pipes for causing the sand to flow into the sand pipe.

15. In combination with the sand box of a locomotive, an inclined sander pipe terminating inside the sand box in an elbow opening downward, means for discharging motive fluid axially into the sander pipe, the sander pipe being inclined and leading to the point of discharge without abrupt bends to permit all sand in the pipe to flow out of the sander pipe by gravity when the motive fluid is turned off.

NOAH A. SELLERS. CHARLES J. BARNETT. 

